Cathal Dennehy: Sebastian Coe paid the price for rattling cages

Sebastian Coe seemed the best candidate for IOC Presidency. But change comes slowly at the IOC.

Sebastian Coe addresses media as he reacts after the results during the 144th IOC Session on the day of the election of the next President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), in Costa Navarino, Greece. Zimbabwe's Kirsty Coventry was elected new President. Photo by ANGELOS TZORTZINIS/AFP via Getty Images.

It’s a dangerous game, trying to tell a powerful, antiquated organisation something they don’t want to hear. Or worse, trying to make them change.

Sebastian Coe is aware of this, and has been for a very long time. In September 1981, Coe was 24 years old, the reigning Olympic champion at 1500m, when he first spoke to a room full of (mostly) men in suits at the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Congress.